SAM Magazine—Newbury, N.H., Sept. 26, 2024—Vail Resorts named Susan Donnelly as the new general manager of Mount Sunapee, effective October 7. Donnelly most recently served as general manager of Crotched Mountain Resort, N.H. She fills the role previously held by Peter Disch, who became VP of mountain operations at Heavenly, Calif., in August after more than four years as Mount Sunapee GM.

“With more than 17 years in the ski industry, Sue brings a wealth of experience to her new role as GM of Mount Sunapee and a passion for enhancing the employee and guest experience,” said Bruce Schmidt, who oversees operations for Sunapee, Crotched, and Okemo, Vt. “She is known for her dedication to fostering growth among her team members and advocating for and providing inclusive access programming for young skiers and riders. We are excited to see the impact she’ll have on Mount Sunapee, the team, and the community.” 

Donnelly’s leadership at Crotched Mountain Resort and her relationships with the community and team led to the return of the “Midnight Madness” night skiing series as well as several terrain park events, and expanded ski and ride school programming with offerings such as the Slope Days school program. Prior to joining Crotched, Donnelly served in a variety of leadership roles at Okemo. 

“My time at Crotched Mountain Resort has been some of the best in my 17-year history in the ski industry,” Donnelly said. “I am so grateful to the Crotched team, our guests, and community for all they have shown me during my time at Crotched. The team is truly one of a kind with incredible resilience and passion for what they do. I will miss calling Crotched home, but I won’t be far away, and I am excited to start my next chapter at Mount Sunapee.”